Armed with a broom, Katherine Reader, 64, told the men to stop. When they tried to flee, their car got stuck in a snow bank, and they were soon arrested, police said.

Reader said she went over to greet people she thought were new neighbors because the house had recently been sold. Reader said the men disappeared, and after a few minutes, she entered her neighbor's garage and saw the evidence of the break-in. That's when she grabbed the broom from the garage.

"I said, 'Stop where you are! Don't go anywhere! I got you covered!'" she said.

Reader said she then heard the front door open and ran down the driveway after the two men, yelling at them. Police said one of the men ran away, and the other tried to get away in a car, but he didn't get far.

"He got pretty nervous and he backed down the driveway and he backed right into the snow bank and he kept spinning his tires," Reader said.

Reader called police, who arrived and arrested the two men. Police said they were identified as Vietnam Dang, 34, and Robert Dalton, 35, both from Massachusetts. They were arraigned Friday morning.

In court, Dang tried to deny any role in the burglary before the judge cautioned him that his statements could be used against him. Dang and Dalton are accused of attempting to break into the home at 16 West Shore Drive.

Prosecutor Heather Newell said it was not a random act.

"These individuals specifically came up to the state of New Hampshire knowing that it was school vacation week and that people would likely be away on vacation," Newell said.

Dalton was also accused of pushing Reader down in the driveway.

The men asked for court-appointed lawyers and are due back in court March 4 for probable cause hearings.